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(Some) Instruments
The Marxophone, ukelin, and violin-guitar are just the tip of the iceberg.
There are dozens of different play-by-number instruments. For more about
these wild and whimsical expressions of irrepressible creativity:
FretlessZithers.com
The Guitar-Zither Clearinghouse
There are dozens of different play-by-number instruments. For more about
these wild and whimsical expressions of irrepressible creativity:
FretlessZithers.com
The Guitar-Zither Clearinghouse
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
While Katherine is a singer indeed, she also plays a variety of fascinating instruments. A few of the less
well-known are shown here. The Marxophone, ukelin, and violin-guitar are unique American play-by-number
instruments sold door-to-door beginning in the early 1900s. They faded from use as, with the proliferation of
electronic entertainment media, more people became consumers rather than makers of music.
well-known are shown here. The Marxophone, ukelin, and violin-guitar are unique American play-by-number
instruments sold door-to-door beginning in the early 1900s. They faded from use as, with the proliferation of
electronic entertainment media, more people became consumers rather than makers of music.
| Above: playing the ukelin |
| photo by Jon Cons |
Above and below: playing the
Marxophone keyboard
(fairly conventional technique)
Right: plucking the Marxophone
(unconventional technique)
Marxophone keyboard
(fairly conventional technique)
Right: plucking the Marxophone
(unconventional technique)
| photo by Gayle LaVallee |
Right:
playing the
violin-guitar
playing the
violin-guitar
| photo by Billy Dominick |
photo ©Roger L. Miller, LucidMusic.com
photo ©Roger L. Miller, LucidMusic.com
The Marxophone, named for Henry C. Marx, was patented in 1912
and manufactured in Hoboken, NJ. It has a keyboard with two
octaves of major scale - no sharps, no flats. Each key has a spring
steel extension tipped with a weight that bounces repeatedly upon
the strings when the key is held down. To the left of the keyboard
are four open chords for strumming. Although not part of Henry C.'s
concept, the strings under the keyboard can also be plucked, to very
lovely effect.
and manufactured in Hoboken, NJ. It has a keyboard with two
octaves of major scale - no sharps, no flats. Each key has a spring
steel extension tipped with a weight that bounces repeatedly upon
the strings when the key is held down. To the left of the keyboard
are four open chords for strumming. Although not part of Henry C.'s
concept, the strings under the keyboard can also be plucked, to very
lovely effect.
The ukelin has 16 open bowed strings , accessed along the
sides of the instrument, plus 4 open chords for strumming.
The bowed strings are intended to provide 2 major octaves
plus one whole step above. Because each note has its own
open bowed string, the notes tend to hang in the air,
overlap, and set up sympathetic resonance. It was
manufactured in Hoboken, NJ, just a block away from the
Marxophone producer. Although this instrument has been
dissed on the Antiques Roadshow and in other circles, it has
a good deal of potential in the right hands!
sides of the instrument, plus 4 open chords for strumming.
The bowed strings are intended to provide 2 major octaves
plus one whole step above. Because each note has its own
open bowed string, the notes tend to hang in the air,
overlap, and set up sympathetic resonance. It was
manufactured in Hoboken, NJ, just a block away from the
Marxophone producer. Although this instrument has been
dissed on the Antiques Roadshow and in other circles, it has
a good deal of potential in the right hands!
Henry C. Marx didn't stick around in Hoboken. He went
to New Troy, Michigan, where he founded the
Marxochime Colony, which produced a variety of
instruments, including the violin-guitar shown above.
It has a number of open bowed strings, providing
almost 3 octaves, including sharps and flats. It also
has 5 open chords and a sliding capot-like device to
enable key changes. And, ladies and gentlemen, it is
built into its own handy carrying case, plus - can you
dig it? - it comes with built-in rosin! Sounds good too!
Seriously, it has a beautiful, haunting sound, with much
sympathetic resonance.
to New Troy, Michigan, where he founded the
Marxochime Colony, which produced a variety of
instruments, including the violin-guitar shown above.
It has a number of open bowed strings, providing
almost 3 octaves, including sharps and flats. It also
has 5 open chords and a sliding capot-like device to
enable key changes. And, ladies and gentlemen, it is
built into its own handy carrying case, plus - can you
dig it? - it comes with built-in rosin! Sounds good too!
Seriously, it has a beautiful, haunting sound, with much
sympathetic resonance.
| Above: playing the kanklės |
Katherine also plays the
kanklės, the Lithuanian folk
psaltery, which she became
acquainted with as a member
of Sodauto, the Lithuanian
Ethnographic Ensemble of
Boston.
The body is carved out of a
single piece of wood, with a
soundboard attached on top.
Similar instruments are found
throughout the Baltic region:
among them the kantele in
Finland, the kokle in Latvia,
the kannel in Estonia, and the
gusli in northwestern Russia.
kanklės, the Lithuanian folk
psaltery, which she became
acquainted with as a member
of Sodauto, the Lithuanian
Ethnographic Ensemble of
Boston.
The body is carved out of a
single piece of wood, with a
soundboard attached on top.
Similar instruments are found
throughout the Baltic region:
among them the kantele in
Finland, the kokle in Latvia,
the kannel in Estonia, and the
gusli in northwestern Russia.